LAOS: Threat of Avian Flu Far from Over

VIENTIANE, Jun 1 (Newsmekong) - An outbreak of avian flu in northern Laos earlier this year has demonstrated that despite the government’s ongoing vigilance, this South-east Asian country faces a continuing threat from the disease.

   The risks are especially high due to the smuggling of poultry from neighbouring countries, in particular Thailand, both for eating and for the traditional sport of cockfighting.

   The latest outbreak occurred in four districts of Luang Namtha province, near the borders of Burma and China.

   Quick action on the part of the Lao government, including culling large numbers of birds suspected of being infected and their eggs, ensured that the outbreak was brought under control and that no cases of humans infected with the H5N1 virus were found this time.

   Local authorities also banned the sale and movement of birds in the province.

   On Feb. 9, H5N1 virus was found in chickens in Nam Man village, Long district, 35 kilometres from Myanmar and Chinese borders. It then spread to more than five villages within a month, and there were concerns it would spread to neighbouring provinces.

   Dr Bounkhouangh Khambounheuang, a member of the Lao National Committee for Control of Avian Flu, told the English-language daily newspaper ‘Vientiane Times’ in early February that the “northern provinces of Oudomxay, Bokeo, Luang Prabang and Phongsaly are at high risk of further outbreaks of virus”.

   The exact cause of the outbreak is unknown, although according to the Department of Fisheries and Livestock in the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, there is a lack of information about the disease among the people living in the affected areas, many of whom are ethnic minorities.

   It is the fourth outbreak of H5N1 virus in poultry in Laos since 2004.

   An outbreak on a poultry farm on the outskirts of the Vientiane in July 2006 resulted in the culling of all birds in a one-kilometre radius.

   A more serious outbreak occurred in early 2007, affecting nearly the entire capital city and three additional provinces. It resulted in two confirmed human fatalities, a 15-year-old girl and a 42-year-old woman.

   Laos has had only these two human deaths from avian flu. Both occurred in 2007, four years after the first case of avian flu was reported in the country.

   As a result of previous outbreaks, independent observers agree that so far the dissemination of information by the government on avian flu in 2008 has been more effective and reached wider numbers of people than in previous years.
   “This year, Lao authorities from the village to central levels have actively conducted activities to control the outbreak of avian flu by training district and provincial officials on how to prevent it,” said an official from one international organisation who declined to be named.  “But the limitations include (the fact) that the roads are not accessible in some rural villages, making it difficult for the officials to give people information on avian flu.”  

   “The health officials told us not to eat raw poultry meat and that we must wash our ands with soap after contacting birds,” said Boun, 68, a resident of Kham district in the northern province of Xieng Khouang.  “If we find that the poultry died with no (apparent) cause, we must inform the village authority.”   

   Despite this increased vigilance, avian flu still poses a significant threat, particularly as a result of the illegal movement of poultry across the border between Laos and Thailand.

   The Lao government announced on Jan. 30 that it would take measures to monitor the importation of poultry at all immigration border checkpoints to prevent further outbreaks of bird flu.

   Poultry without certification from health officials have been confiscated and destroyed, and importers warned and fined.

   Despite these precautions, the border between Laos and Thailand is long and the illegal trade in poultry continues to be large.

   Local poultry traders in Vientiane also continue to avoid having their chickens certified by health officials in order to meet the high demand for chicken meat in Laos.

   “We find it difficult to control smuggling of poultries from Thailand because the border between Laos and Thailand is long and the authorities are not able to be on duties completely,” Dr Bounkhouangh said in an interview with Newsmekong.

   “The smuggling might cause the outbreak again, but it depends on the country from where poultry are illegally imported,” he explained. “If that country has outbreaks of the infection, Laos of course will be at high risk of avian flu.”

   Another factor in the spread of avian flu is cockfighting, a traditional sport and part of culture in Laos and Thailand as well as in other countries in the region.

   For instance, Thais regularly bring their birds to fight for gambling at Saythany district, 15 km south of Vientiane, and Lao residents from Vientiane smuggle the birds to fight in matches in the adjoining Thai province of Nongkhai.

   This is difficult to monitor because these people avoid officially crossing the Lao-Thai border at the Friendship Bridge across the Mekong River between Vientiane and Nongkhai, and prefer instead to smuggle their fighting cocks on fast boats across the river.

   According to Joi, 31, a cockfighting aficionado in Laos, whenever the authorities close cockfighting venues in north-eastern Thailand in an attempt to combat outbreaks of avian flu, more Thai fighting cocks with no certification will be brought to Vientiane to take part in cockfights with gambling.

   Asked if he is scared of the H5N1 virus when bathing chickens, Joi said, “I have learnt information on avian flu through media, and sometimes I feel afraid. However, I prefer to bath my birds because I feed them with my hands, so I know which cock is sick or healthy. But I dare not come in contact other people’s fighting cocks.”   

   “In Laos, there have been no cases of death of farmers who raise fighting cocks,” said Dr Bounkhouangh.

   “Those who are directly involved in fighting cocks directly might be at risk of H5N1 infection, especially those who use their mouths to suck the blood from the rooster’s head during the fight in the ring,” he added. (END/IPSAP/Newsmekong/OS/AN/JS/08)